I fully realize that it’s getting much colder outside, so why the tease for Hawaii? Because honestly, couldn’t we all use a little dose of extreme sunshine every now and then? This was from a trip I took back in September; just 10 minutes from the airport on Maui, in Kahului, I stopped by … Continued
I realize not all ciders are equal. While I love nothing more than drinking the unfiltered juice of apples straight off a cider press, sometimes the situation calls for something a bit more, how shall I say, inspired? Fortunately, the guys over at Tenzing – a Chicago-based wine and spirits company – are constantly … Continued
Sang Yoon initially wanted to be a professional hockey player – he was a goalie at Boston University – but he also wanted to be a cook. He’s worked in some of the most prestigious kitchens in Europe, as well as venerable ones in the U.S., like Michael’s in Santa Monica. But for the … Continued
As a kid, my mom would often make lukshon kugel, a sweet, cottage cheese-and-sour-cream noodle casserole that was always a reliable milchig (dairy) meal – since we kept kosher. We would eat it while breaking the fast during Yom Kippur, or just have one at a special occasion dinner, when meat wasn’t on the … Continued
Cooking en papillote – or in parchment paper – has long been a preferred method of steaming fish and vegetables, while also providing a semi-dramatic tableside presentation. At Langdon Hall, tucked away in the countryside of Cambridge, Ontario (about an hour from the Toronto airport), Chef Jonathan Gushue loves to cook this way, which … Continued
Chicago’s “Little India,” also known as Devon Avenue, stretches in a long, east-west line dissecting West Rogers Park. As you drive down the street, you’ll notice most of the restaurants offer food from the Northern regions of India – Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab being the most widely represented. Yet finding the wonderfully tropical, coconut-influenced … Continued
I guess being Jewish in St. Cloud, Minnesota had something to do with it. Why else would my dad go to such lengths to bring home this odd-smelling fish in the small jar, serve it with Rye Krisps and call it a snack? When you think about those two factors – Jewish and Minnesota … Continued
Clear corn whiskey may not have the sex appeal of an aged bourbon or rye, but Chuck Miller is hoping to change some minds. The Master Distiller of Stillhouse Distillery, in Culpeper, Virginia, has been making the rounds as of late, promoting his Original MOONSHINE. It’s an 80-proof whiskey that was developed along with … Continued
Chicago is experiencing a brewing renaissance. 100 years ago, there were dozens of breweries in the city, but after prohibition, that number dwindled to the point where they were almost extinct. Goose Island helped spur the rebirth in craft brewing within the city in 1988, and over the past few years, a number of … Continued
I had no idea pisco was so nuanced. The colorless grape brandy produced in Chile and Peru isn’t quite as popular as cachaça, but it’s coming on fast; you can learn more about it at places like ThePiscoBook.com, but you can also learn from the pros behind the bar. I did just that recently, as … Continued
Jose Garces has been getting a lot of press since he became an “Iron Chef,” but the man with Chicago roots – and a small Philadelphia empire of restaurants – still gets back to town every now and then to fire up the troops at Mercat a la Planxa, inside the Blackstone Hotel on … Continued